Friday, January 13, 2006

Pirate Radio Bill Is Law

Late last week, the State Senate passed the NJBA Pirate Radio Bill 38-0. Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein, in the Assembly and Senator Peter Inverso, in the Senate sponsored the bill. Governor Richard Cody signed the bill into law Monday, June 9, 2006. Now, local law enforcement, state police and any other police force in the state can shut down a pirate radio station. This represents a major victory for the New Jersey Broadcasters Association and it's members. The only other state in the nation to have such a law is the State of Florida, and, we used this law as a model. Thanks, Florida.  NJBA will be producing a series of Radio announcements alerting listeners to this new law, and what to do if a pirate station interferes with their favorite local station. We ask all stations to run these spots as they become available.

Joe Bilotta Up For Reelection

Buckley Broadcasting’s COO and NJBA Board Member, Joe Bilotta is up for reelection to the Radio Board of Directors of NAB. Joe was first elected two years ago and has been doing an outstanding job of representing the Radio Stations in New Jersey and New York (Region 2). He has been a tireless advocate for his region and has made his voice heard at the highest levels of the NAB. Joe deserves to be reelected and NJBA urges all NAB members to give Joe an overwhelming vote of confidence. You have your ballots now. Just vote for Joe and send them back to NAB before February 3, 2006. The ballot counting begins on February 17, 2006. Lets send a great guy back to the halls of NAB to continue his great work. 

FCC Cracks Down On New Jersey Pirates

The New York Office of the FCC has noticed that the New Jerusalem Temple of the Apostolic Faith in Newark are running an unlicensed radio station at 90.1 MHz and that Angel Lapaix of East Orange is running an unlicensed station at 87.9 MHz. Both have been warned to close their illegal stations down immediately or face substantial monetary fines, and criminal sanctions, including imprisonment. The stations must have gone off the air by New Years Eve. No notice has been received as to the actions the pirates have or have not taken. 

Spanish Broadcasting Cited For EAS Violations

WKSQ-FM and WPAT-FM, both located in New York City, have been charged by the FCC with having non-operating EAS equipment since December 1, 2004 to March 14, 2005.  The EAS receivers were not connected to the encoders from July 1, 2004 to March 9, 2005. The FCC ordered the stations to pay a fine of $8,000 for repeated and willful violations of the commission rules. According to the stations, the receivers were disconnected from the decoders for routine maintenance and never reconnected until March 14. 

Violations Of Rules In Both North and Central NJ

The FCC had a busy month in the State. Antenna inspections were conducted in Lyndhurst and in Hightstown. Antennas owned by the ICBC Corporation were cited for not having the correct lighting required by the FCC in the right places. Their flashing red lights were not at the midpoint of the structure and the steady red lights were in all the wrong places. In Hightstown, it was lights again and the lack of painting that got Northeast Passage Corporation’s antenna at 319 Perrineville Road. Both companies must report to the FCC when they make the required changes. The Commission has not yet slapped the two companies with any fines.

Check your Alternate Inspection Contract now to make sure it’s up to date. If it's not, call NJBA to schedule a new inspection.   

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